Adjustable valve-controlling device



Jan. 17, 1928.

E. GAMES- ADJUSTABLE VALVE CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed 001;. 7, 1926 INVENTOR f: Lamar 601/24;

/ ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES ERNEST LAMAR GAIIIES, F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

ADJUSTABLE VALVE-CONTROLLING DEVICE.

Application filed October 7, 1926. Serial No. 139,997.

This invention relates to valve controlling devices for use, more particularly, in water sprinkling systems. The object of the 1 nveI 1- t1on is to provide a valve control which 1s adjustable to regulate automatlcally the action of a valve to effect the intermlttent delive of water for desired durations and atpre etermined intervals.

The invention consists in the novel construction, ada tation and combination of parts hereina ter described and claimed. Theform of the invention now preferred by me is illustrated in the accompanymg drawing, in which.--

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on theline 1-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation; Fig. '3 is a-plan view with parts in horizontal section; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view to an enlarged scale; and Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section ofa portion of the service pipe including a regulatin valve. j

In said drawing, the reference numeral represents a water service pipe which may constitute the supply pipe for a water sprinklin system which is not illustrated In said pipe is a valve, hereinafter designated as the service valve, in the nature, preferably, of a rotary cook 11 having a duct 12 extending diametrically therethrough. I V y The function of the present invention is to regulate the service valve 11 so as to automatically produce an intermittent deliveryof water through the service pipe. In carrying out my invention I, provide rigid with the rotary cook or service valve a rod extension 13 which is journaled in bearings 14 provided in the side walls 15 of a frame 16. This frame is secured, as b means of brackets 17, to the pipe 10 or ot er suitable supporting device. Interiorly of said frame] the rod 13 extends through and is rigidly secured to the said elements 18 of a bifurcated beam 19 of a substantially U-shape, Said rod con stitutes the fulcrum of said beam and is connected thereto at or about its midlength.

Positioned at one side of the rod 13 between the beam elements 18 and rigidly secured thereto is a receptacle or tank 20 of a substantially triangular shape in longitudinal vertical section as shown in Fig. 1. At the opposite side of the rod 13 from said tank the beani19 has secured thereto a body 21 of suflicient weight to overbalance" the tube or hose 22 whose other end is communicatively connected through the medium of a charging valve 23 with the pipe 10 at the recelvmg side of the service valve 11. By

such arrangement, water is supplied into the tank continuously during the operation of the device subject, however, to the adjustment of the charging valve 23. i

As shown, a catch 24 provided u on the top wall 25 of the tank is engageab e by a resilient detent 26 provided upon the frame 16 when the tank is brought by the power of the weight 21. into the upright position in which it is represented by full lines in Fig. 1. To release thetank when the same receives a predetermined charge of water, I provide a float 27 attached to the free end of an arm 28 which is pivotally connected at its other end to a pm 29, said arm having a stud element 30 which by the elevating of the float, is eventually protruded through an aperture of the tank wall 25 to effect the disenga ement of the'detent with respect to the catch 24.

In the outer portion of the tank wall 25 the same is rovided with a water discharge orifice 31; j is controllable by means of a cover plate 32 which is pivotally connected to a pm 33 provided on the tank, said plate having a series of holes 34 of progressively increasing diameters which are disposed so that one or more of the holes may be brought, selectively, into register with said orifice, see Fig. 4, by turning the plate 32 into a desired position. The plate is secured in its adjusted position as y means of a clamping nut 35 engaging screw threads provided upon the pin 33.

36 represents a bumper of rubber or other suitable elastic or yieldable material provided upon a bar member 37 of the frame 16 for overcoming the momentum of the tank in stopping when it is swung upwardly by the action of the weight 21. I

38 represents a resilient latch secured at one of its ends to the frame 16 and provided at its outer end With a. protuberance 39 adapted to engage within a recesssuch as 40 provided in the side wall ofthe tank 20 when the latter is in the position in which heaeifective size of this orificeit is indicated by dotted lines 20 in Fig. 1.

Assuming the movable parts of the apparatus occupy the relative positions in which they are represented by full lines in Fig. 1-that is to say, with the tank upright and held in its elevated position by means of the detent 26the continued supply of water into the tank through the hose 22 further elevates the float 27 to cause the associated stud 30 to dislodge the detent 26 from the catch 24 to release the tank. Then this occurs the weight of the water within the tank is more than sufficient to overbal'ance the counterweight 21 whereupon gravitation acts to swing the tank downwardly into its dotted line 20 position and elevate the counterweight into its dotted line 21 position.

The tank in being thus swung down about: the axis of the rod 13 causes the orifice 31 to be brought close to the then bottom of the tank permitting the water to escape therethrough until the amount of water within the tank is depleted sufficiently to enable the counterweight to'efiect the disengagement of the latch 38 from tank and the return of the latter to the elevated position in which it is shown by full lines in Fig. 1.

As the tank approaches such elevated position the momentum of the tank counterweight, etc-., is overcome by the bumper cushion 36, and the catch 24 is engaged by the detent 26 thereby completing a cycle of operation.

In practice, the reciprocatory vertical travel of the tank acts through the medium of the rod 13 to close and open the service valve, thereby delivering'water through the pipe 10 for sprinkling or other purposes while the tank is being charged and preventing the delivery of service water through the pipe while the water is being discharged from the tank.

Water is desirably supplied uninterruptedly into the tank for charging and recharging the same during the operation of the apparatus but at a slower rate than that afforded by the discharge orificeas regulated by the selected hole or holes of the plate 32; hence the time required in emptying the tank is determined by the differential between the water inlet and outlet.

As shown in Fig. 1, the arrangen'ient of the beam 19 is such that it occupies an angle of approximately forty-five degrees from the horizontal at the termination of both its upward and downward tank-carrying movements through an arc of a circle whose center is the axis of the rod 13. By such an arrangement of the tank and the counterweight their moments of force will gradually increase until their centers of gravity have passed through the horizontal plane in which the axis of the rod 13 is located.

Furthermore, the uplifting of the tank and also of the counterweight is effected by gravity subsequent to the critical periods, when the combined weight of the tank and its water contents is respectively less and greater than the effective weight of the counterwei ht.

T liese conditions are fulfilled by the latch 38 releasably engaging the tank in its lower position and by the float-controlled detent 26 releasably engaging the tank in its upper position.

By such devices the tank is releasably held beyond both of its critical periods until the difference between theweights at opposite ends of the beam will produce energy sufficient to impart rotary movement to the service valve and also carry the tank into engageable relation with the detent and latch respectively.

The above features of the invention are contributory with the arcuate travel of both the counterweight and the tank to provide a valve control which will impart quick and reliable opening and closing movements to the'valve.

Among important uses of the invention may be mentioned intermittently operated sprinkling systems for wetting roofs of buildings as a fire protection; for lawn and garden irrigation; and in the wetting of newly laid cement work in the curing and setting of the same.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of the invention, I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the illustrated embodiment as changes may be made thereto as, for example, by employing a spring of known form in lieu of the counterweight, as shown, for elevating the tank. It is to be understood, moreover, that I do not confine myself specifically to the embodiment of the invention except as limited by the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is,-

1. Gravity controlled apparatus for effecting the opening and closing movement of a service valve of a water delivery pipe, comprising an overturnable water receptacle having an orifice in its upper portion, operative connections'between the receptacle and said valve to cause the latter. to be moved into one position when the tank is being upset and into another position when the receptacle is being returned to its upright position, devices tending to retain the receptacle in its upright position, and means to supply Water progressively into said receptacle to produce therein an unbalanced weight to overcome the power of said devices and eifect the overturning of the receptacle into a positlon for the escape of water through said orifice, said devices serving to open said valve while the devices are returning the recetptacle into its upright water receiving, po- S1 011.

2. In a gravity actuated valve regulating device, in combination, a water receptacle arranged for upward and downward reciprocatory movment, said receptacle bein provided with a controllable discharge ori ce operative connection between the receptac e and the valve to efi'ect the opening and closing of the same in each reciprocatory movement of the receptacle, a counterweight for elevating the receptacle, and means for supplying water into the receptacle to obtain a suitable weight of water therein for overcoming the power of the counterweight and effect a downward movement of the receptacle permitting the escape of water from the orifice thereof to render the counterweight operable to elevate the receptacle.

3. In a gravity actuated valve-regulating device, a water receptacle arranged for reciprocatory movements, said receptacle being provided with a controllable Water discharge orifice, means operatively connecting said receptacle to the valve for moving the latter into and from its closing positions succes sively in each reciprocatory travel of the receptacle, means actingto elevate the receptacle, means to supply water into the receptacle to be acted upon by gravity to overcome the power of the receptacle elevating means for eflecting downward movements of the receptacle into its water discharging position, and means for yieldabl retainlng the receptacle in its upper and ower positions respectively during the critical periods of the receptacles movements.

4. In a gravit actuated valve-controlling device, the combination of a beam adapted to be operatively connected to the valve, a water receptacle carried by one end of the beam and provided with an orifice for discharging water from the receptacle as the latter approaches the end of its downward travel, means for supplying water into the receptaole, a counterwei ht carried by the other end of the beam an adapted to effect upward movement of said receptacle when the water is discharged therefrom, and means for releasably retaining the receptacle in its upper and lower positions respectively until after the critical water supplying andidischargin periods of the receptacle.

igned at Seattle, Washington, this 23rd day of September, 1926.

ERNEST LAMAR GAIN ES. 

